The Southern Fjords Greenland

Astonishingly grand spires of granite soar straight out of Greenland's southernmost fjords like the teeth of an interplanetary crocodile. Climbers rate the rock faces of peaks like Uiluit Qaaqa (Ketil), Ulamertorsuaq (Uli) and The Baroness as among the world's finest challenges. For the less active it's easy to put your head right in the crocodile's mouth by simply cruising down one of the fjords. Most visits start from Nanortalik, itself a truly delightful village whose entire old town area has been preserved as a heart-burstingly picturesque living museum. The main choice is between Tasermiut, a truly grand fjord leading to a nose of glacier, or the shorter but arguably more spectacular Torssuqatoq which culminates with the extraordinarily photogenic village of Aappilattoq. With more time and patience there are yet more fabulous fjords to discover beyond Aappilattoq, though there's always a danger that all access is blocked by pesky floating ice-floes. Although public ferries go down some lovely fjords from Nanortalik, the very finest require boat-hires, tours or hitching a ride with local hunters